Best Chokes for the Winchester SX3 (Try These FIRST!) - WaterfowlChoke (2024)
The Winchester SX3 shotgun is a popular waterfowl shotgun in the United States today. It’s a solid design that’s also reasonably priced. The SX3’s adaptability allows it to work in even the most adverse settings. However, the SX3 requires the proper choke tube to function properly.
The best waterfowl chokes for the Winchester SX3 are listed below, and they work well for ducks, geese, and dove by creating even patterns down range. Because most waterfowl chokes, shotguns, and ammo combinations operate differently, you should pattern your shotgun before heading into the field.
These are the top 3 best chokes for the Winchester SX3:
These chokes can deliver tight downrange patterns and keep pellets on target for both decoying and passing shots on ducks and geese. The SX3 is compatible with Browning Invector Plus chokes.
1) Carlson’s Cremator Non-Ported Choke
The Carlson’s Cremator choke tube is an excellent choice for hunters who need a versatile choke that can perform well with a variety of shotshell loads. This choke tube uses a unique design that consists of multiple tapers, which work together to provide a consistent shot pattern. This makes the Cremator ideal for hunting situations where you need to be able to adjust your shooting style quickly and accurately.
The Winchester SX3 works especially well with the Carlson’s Cremator. This medium range choke tube is perfect for shots between 30-40 yards over decoys with steel shot. The Cremator works well with most wad types, shot sizes, and types of pellets. The long range (LR) Cremator has a diameter of 0.715″, which patterns similar to a modified choke. This is the budget pick.
The Patternmaster Code Black is a top-of-the-line choke tube that provides unmatched performance in long-range hunting situations. This choke tube uses a specialized constriction design that helps to control the spread of shot at longer distances. This makes it an ideal choice for waterfowl hunters who need to take shots at moving targets from a distance.
The Patternmaster Code Black choke tube fits the Winchester SX3 perfectly. This all-around choke is great for field hunts, ponds, lakes, and rivers where the range of shots varies, and you’ll be able to handle it all without having to change chokes mid hunt. The internal choke design helps prevent the wad from affecting the shot column as it exits the barrel. Expect it to pattern closer to a full choke. This is the top pick for max range.
Carlson’s ported version of the Cremator choke series is another good option for the SX3 in that it can help reduce recoil and muzzle jump, while the internal stud design works to reduce pellet deformation. This mid-range choke tube is perfect for decoying birds in tight or for quick passing shots at medium range.
Consider the ported Cremator choke if you want a slight reduction in muzzle jump and getting on targets faster for follow up shots due to directing some of the gases and pressure outwards. However, ported chokes can be louder and may throw more gun powder residue outwards, so keep that in mind.
Why you should pick the Cremator for the Winchester SX3
Made from high-quality stainless steel
Specifically designed to provide superior performance
Features a unique design that allows for tighter shot patterns and improved accuracy
Unique wad tapering system as the shot exits the barrel
Less fouling and improved consistency
Black oxide finish that provides superior durability and corrosion resistance
Improved accuracy and performance
What to look for in the Best Chokes for the Winchester SX3
The Winchester SX3 is an affordable shotgun for just about any condition. It is widely used for waterfowl, upland game, and turkeys. The dependable operating systems keeps it functioning smoothly in even the harshest conditions.
Another highlight of the Winchester SX3 shotgun is its affordability. It can be found for less than $1,000, which leaves plenty left over for aftermarket choke tubes to get that perfect pattern. The Patternmaster Code Black Duck is one of the best choke tubes for the Winchester SX3. It delivers uniform patterns that hold together at longer ranges.
Carlson’s Cremator is another choke tube that excels in long range shooting through the Winchester SX3. It’s offered in both a long range model and mid-range for up close decoy hunting. The cremator makes for an affordable choke combo that can be switch depending on the hunting situation.
Here’s a great video showing the versatility of the Winchester SX3
Types of Chokes for the Winchester SX3
Ported vs. Non-ported chokes – Ported chokes have groves and holes that allow for pressure expansion and wad stripping technology to help create better patterns. These choke tubes can also help reduce recoil. Non-ported chokes are smoothed walled and can even be flush with the end of the barrel.
Extended vs. flush chokes – All ported chokes are extended chokes. Extended chokes usually extend 1 to 1.5 inches past the end of the barrel. This added barrel length can help improve patterns by increasing the parallel section of the choke tube and allowing space for wad technology to work.
The best chokes for hunting are always extended ported chokes like the Carlson’s Cremator. They consistently produce the best wing shooting results with the right ammo combinations.
Extended chokes are ideal for waterfowl and turkey hunting because they provide a platform for tighter constrictions and wad technology improvements beyond that of flush factory chokes.
To kill weary waterfowl or old toms at long ranges consistently, an extended ported choke is the best starting point to developing a tight pattern that will produce great results at 50 yards or more.
About the Winchester SX3
The Winchester SX3 is capable of delivering 80-90% pattern density at 40 yards with many premium aftermarket choke tubes. Pattern testing with multiple chokes and load combinations is the best way to find out what works for you.
The affordability of the Winchester SX3 shotgun is another reason why it’s so popular in the waterfowling world. The Winchester SX3 is easily customizable with many options for recoil reducers, shim kits, extended aftermarket choke tubes, sights, and large bolt handles.
When it comes to choosing the right choke tube for the Winchester SX3 shotgun, Carlson’s Cremator stands out from its competitors. The Carlson’s Cremator is engineered with a unique design that provides consistent and even shot patterns, resulting in better accuracy and a higher precision. Unlike its competitors, the Cremator is built with Triple Shot Technology, which ensures that the shot is evenly distributed, reducing the chances of having holes or gaps in your pattern. Additionally, the Cremator’s longer parallel section helps to reduce recoil, which in turn leads to more controlled shots and better follow ups. Overall, the Carlson’s Cremator is a top performer, delivering outstanding results that set it apart from the competition.
Bottom Line
Several factory choke tubes come with the Winchester SX3, but they aren’t always the best. After market premium choke tubes are available to provide better patterning results that translate to better success in the field.
The Patternmaster Code Black and Carlson’s Crematorare two of the best choke tubes for waterfowl. These ported chokes are extended for easy removal in the field and are designed to prevent the wad from disrupting the shot column during separation.
As always, you should pattern your shotgun to see what ammo and choke combinations work the best out of it. One shotgun may not perform like another. Test it out and develop a system that will work well throughout the hunting season and give you the best chance of success when birds are hovering over your decoys.
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Last update on 2023-06-20 / Affiliate links / Product Images from Amazon Product Advertising API
The Patternmaster Code Black Duck is one of the best choke tubes for the Winchester SX3. It delivers uniform patterns that hold together at longer ranges. Carlson's Cremator is another choke tube that excels in long range shooting through the Winchester SX3.
For ducks and geese that are close, improved cylinder or even skeet constriction choke work well. If the birds are farther out, a modified choke tube is better.
12ga Browning Invector Plus/Winchester SX3, SX4 Black Cloud Full. Patternmaster Black Cloud is a constriction choke that works well with all brands of shotgun ammunition.
Getting the most out of your steel shot is essential, especially for knocking down ducks and geese on the brink of your effective range. Trulock's Super Waterfowl Chokes are designed for long-range shooting when fowl flirts with the edge of your decoy spreads.
This is duck-killing ammo. The HEVI-Shot brand is popular for all waterfowl and for a good reason. It patterns well for most hunters and is relatively easy to find. The most lethal combination is the three-inch shell with a one and a quarter ounce load and BB size shot.
Modified choke has moderate constriction. The pellets stay together longer, making the shot string denser and more useful at longer ranges. This choke is used often when dove hunting and when using steel shot to hunt for ducks or geese.
An engine needs more air as it warms up, so the choke needs to open to allow more air. With a manual choke, you will need to close and open the choke yourself when starting your engine, while an electric choke will control the air supply itself when the engine is started.
Candy (especially hard or sticky candy), cough drops, gum, lollipops, marshmallows, caramels, hard candies, and jelly beans. Whole grapes, raw vegetables, raw peas, fruits, fruits with skins, seeds, carrots, celery, and cherries.
Shotgun hunters typically select their choke based on the game bird they are pursuing. The more open chokes are usually used for pursuits like quail, dove or certain types of grouse hunting. Mid range chokes are ideal for pheasant hunting and duck hunting, while the tightest chokes are used for goose or turkey hunting.
The full choke is the tightest choke; it has the tightest shot pattern. This choke keeps the pellets together over a greater distance. Used it for longer shots, usually beyond 40 yards. The modified choke is not as tight as the full choke.
A choke valve/cable is designed to restrict the flow of air in the carburettor of an engine. This helps enrich the fuel-air mixture, improving the ability to start an engine in low temperature conditions.
Like in the uplands, most duck hunting happens within 30 yards, especially if you're jump shooting or using decoys. For these situations, Improved Cylinder is fine. If you're going after Canada Geese, go with Modified instead. If you're using a double, Improved Cylinder and Modified will do it all.
As the shell is fired, the shot travels down the barrel and it is the job of the choke to constrict or squeeze the shot before it leaves the barrel. This compression helps hold the shot in a pattern down range. The tighter the choke or compression the tighter the pattern will be up to a certain point.
Proponents of the extended choke tubes argue the extra length leads to tighter shot constriction and eventually tighter shot patterns. Much research has been done on this theory, and a lot of it suggests that extended choke tubes do make a difference.
Ducks like widgeon, gadwall and wood ducks are a tad tougher to bring down than teal, and for this reason lean a good choice would be 12-gauge 3 ½-inch Black Cloud No. 4.
Size 2 shot is a versatile load for situations in which you might encounter geese as well as ducks; otherwise 3 shot is a good all-purpose duck pellet. At ranges inside 40 yards, BB, 1, or 2 shot are good for geese; 2 or 3 shot works well on ducks.
The general consensus is to choose #4 shot for ducks over decoys at ranges inside 30 yards for better pattern density up close. For longer shots, 2 shot is the clear choice since the larger pellets can penetrate deeper and excel at ranges between 30 and 40 yards.
Aim slightly below the bird, raise the gun up into its flight path, and pull the trigger when the gun barrel blots out the bird. Or, if the duck is descending to land, aim at its feet and shoot. By the time the shot charge gets on target, the duck will have dropped into the middle of the pattern.
Light modified or modified are good choices for shooting over decoys. Improved modified is the best pick for pass shooting. Full chokes can deliver good patterns, especially with smaller shot, but with tight chokes you begin risking damage to the choke and gun by overconstricting hard pellets.
Most experts say the best loads for geese are sizes 1, BB, BBB, or T steel shot. For most hunting situations, BB or BBB shot is the most effective shot size. Both have plenty of pellets, but still enough energy to bring down a goose.
Modified choke tubes are considered the best all-around choke tube due to its versatility to work with most ammo types and ranges. The diameter of a modified choke tube is 0.705 inches on a 12 gauge fixed choke shotgun. Chokes in modified work great for combo duck and goose hunts.
It's normally recommended that you use a cylinder or improved cylinder choke with slugs. You can even shoot rifled lead slugs through a full choke, but I wouldn't press your luck with slugs made of copper or other materials. You will also see sabot (pronounced “SAY-bo”) slugs.
There are five basic shotgun chokes: cylinder, improved-cylinder, modified, improved-modified and full. (There are several more that are made for specific applications, such as skeet and trap, but for simplicity's sake let's keep it at five.)
Smaller shotshells (such as 20-gauge shells), if mistakenly fed into a 12-gauge gun, will slip past the chamber and lodge in the barrel, causing serious personal injury or gun damage if a 12-gauge shell is loaded and fired.
Having said this, the defects included missing primers, no primer flash hole, raised or high primers, a split empty case, the bullet seated backwards, a bullet falling out or pushing back in the case, squib loads or loads with no powder or too much powder. All these are factors that could make a shotgun explode.
Shotgun patterning is important for hunters because it helps determine which type of ammo and choke tube works best with their shotgun. Different types of ammunition produce different patterns when fired, and knowing what your specific weapon produces can help you make more accurate shots in the field.
Currently, Muller Chokes offers chokes for Savage 512 model shotguns. The barrels of these guns interchange with Muller's Beretta/Benelli Mobil style threads.
The Precision Choke is a weapon attachment for the Peacekeeper and the Triple Take. To use the Precision Choke, you must mount it on a suitable gun and aim down sights. The gun will then charge, reducing the spread of its projectiles up to three levels.
Most grouse hunters would say that an improved cylinder choke is ideal. For shot size, No. 6 shot is about as large as they would go and No. 9 is as small as they would go.
Full: This choke has tight constriction and a dense pattern, delivering approximately 70 percent of a shell's total pellets in a 30-inch circle at 40 yards. This choke is often used for trap shooting, waterfowl pass shooting, turkey hunting and buckshot loads.
The full choke is the tightest choke; it has the tightest shot pattern. This choke keeps the pellets together over a greater distance. Used it for longer shots, usually beyond 40 yards.
Generally, the tighter the constriction on the choke tube, the lower the notch count on the front. Modified chokes normally have three notches while a full choke would only have one.
Moving to a full choke will give you a .695 choke diameter; you'll get more energy and a tighter pattern, allowing lethal shots out to 35-40 yards. Moving to an extra-full choke pushes your limit even farther. A lot of birds are killed by hunters at 40-50 yards plus with specialty extra-full turkey chokes.
Full choke has tight constriction. The shot holds together even longer, making this choke good for squirrels, turkey, and other game shot at 40-yard and longer ranges. Turkey hunters sometimes use Extra Full or Turkey choke for even denser patterns at long range.
Someone hunting small, fast, close birds would generally use an Improved Cylinder or Modified choke, which creates a broad shot pattern that spreads quickly at close ranges.
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